Phonographic apparatus



Jane 6, 1944.

J. J. HOEHN ET AL vPHONOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed July 31. 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 H0911 Ors :j/Um] w 6i ,Zi/amer ttorneg J. J. HoEHN ETAL 2,350,682v

PHONOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed J`u1y 31. 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bg (Ittorneg June 6, 1944. J. .n.HOEHN Erm.' 2,350,682

I PHONOGRAPHIC APPARATUS I I Filed July 31, i940 G Sheets-Sheet 3 b'lll ITI-I v nventors Juner 6, 1944.

` J. J. HoEHN ETAL PHONOGRAPHIC 'APPARATUS Gffmeg Filed July 31, 1940 fo 220W' June 6, 1944. J. J. HOEHN ETA. 2,350,682

PHONOGRAPHI C APPARATUS Filed July 31, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 6, 1944. J. J HQEHN ET AL 42,350,682

PHONOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed July 3l, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented June 6, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-'TCE y 2,350,682 PHONOGRAPHIC APPARATUS John J. Hoehn and Arthur G. Zimmerman, Indianapolis, Ind.. assignors to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application July 31, 1940, Serial No. 348,860

13 Claims.

This invention relates to phonographi appuratus, and more `particularly to recording machines of the type adapted to record sound upon a blank disc for immediate play-back, the presentinvention being, in some respects, in the nature of an improvement over those disclosed in the copending applications of Raymond F. Brady and Paul Weathers, Serial No. 260,282, illed March 7, 1939, now Patent No. 2,260,289, granted October 28, 1941, Frank E. Runge, Serial No. 337,994, ruled May 31, 1940, now Patent No. 2,254,048, granted August 26, 1941, and Frank E. Runge,'Serial No. 343,116, filed June 29, 1940, now Patent No. 2,262,148, granted November 11 1941, al1 assigned to Radio Corporation of America.

The primary object of our present invention is to provide an improved recording apparatus which possesses most oi' the advantages of the apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned copending applications and which, in addition, includes anumber of novel features not found therein.

More particularly, it is an object of our `present invention to provide an improved recording apparatus in which the cutter head may be fed either from the periphery oi a record disc toward the center to provide what is termed outside-in recording, or fed from the center toward the periphery thereof to provide what is usually referred to as finside-out recording. v

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved recording apparatus as aforesaid wherein the cutter head may be fed across the record at any selected one of a plurality of different speeds regardless of the direction of feed of the cutter to thereby provide grooves of different pitch. v

kStill another object of our invention is to pro vide improved recording apparatus as above set forth wherein the adjustment of the pitch f the .groove may be made while the turntable is rotating at a predetermined speed and without altering the speed thereof.

A further object of our present invention is to provide an improved recording apparatus wherein it is possible to out a terminal groove of either the concentric or spiral type, at will, and wherein it is also possible to provide vconnecting grooves of lany desired pitch between different portions of the sound grooves.

Still a further object of our invention isto provide an improvedgrecording apparatus wherein the turntable may be driven very constantly or uniformly at any one of a plurality ofdiiferent speeds and wherein the turntable can be brought' 'to a quick stop when th motor power is disconnected therefrom. y

Another object of our present invention is to provide an improved timing scale for both insideout and outside-in recordings and by means of which the operator can tell, at a glance, the recording time that is available on the unused portion of the record. Y

Still another object of our invention is to provide, in recording apparatus of the type set forth above, an improved cutter head mounting by means of which the depth of the cutting stylus and the angular relation of the cutting stylus with respect to the record blank can be independently adjusted and wherein the depth of cut is not altered when changing the angle of cut.

' vIt is also an object of our present invention to provide an improved, de luxe recording apparatus as aforesaid which incorporates such features as screw which feeds the cutter across the record blank and rotate this disc by a rubber-tired friction wheel mounted at right angles to said disc, the friction wheel being keyed to and freely c adjustable on a shaft extending at right angles 4to the feed screw and receiving power from said shaft. The turntable is preferably driven from the periphery by a pair of drives of the type disclosed and claimed in the aforementioned Brady and Weathers patent, a turntable brake operable by the control handle which controls the turntable driving mechanism having been added to quickly stop rotation of the turntable whenthe dual drive is disconnected therefrom.

Power is transferred from the turntable shaft to the aforementioned friction wheel shaft by a 'suitable pulley and belt arrangement, the rotation of the friction wheel being constant. 'I'he speed of the disc on thefeed screw can be varied by moving the friction wheel on its keyed shaft and along a diameter of the driven disc, Rotation of the feed screw disc is reversed when the friction wheel is moved past the center of the feed screw disc. The friction wheel may be moved along its keyed shaft by means of a rack and pinion and it may be locked in a predetermined position relative to the driven disc by ensuing the pinion with a second. stationary rack or a fixed pin.

The drive between the turntable andthe trans mission constituted by the aforementioned feed screw disc and friction wheel includes a clutch which permits rotating the feed screw manually to advance the cutter at a rate other than that determined by the aforementioned transmission coupling,A and we provide manually operable means for disconnecting the. transmission. cou pling, if desired. This latter means also serves to disconnect the rubber tired wheel from its associated disc to prevent Iiats from forming on the rubber tire when the machine is at rest.

We also provide a cam mechanism which is responsive to movement of the cutter head into a frest position (that is, out of operative relation with the record) for actuating a spring pressed pin associatedwith the frame members in which the transmission coupling is mounted to separate or disconnect the elements of the transmission coupling in a manner similar to the aforementioned manually operable means.

A suitable lamp may be mounted on the machine in a manner to permit adjustment thereof to any desired position over the record whereby to illuminate the portions thereof at which the recording takes place. Also, a suitable micro- Ascope may be provided adjacent the turntable on a bracket which permits adjustment thereof across the record whereby the cut groove may be examined closely for proper depth, width, pitch, etc., and a suitable pipe or hose connected to the cutter carriage in close proximity to the cutting needle may be connected to a suitable suction line for removing the shavings as they are formed.

The cutter head carriage is pivotally mounted` on a suitable mounting sleeve carried by the feed screw, the mounting member carrying a sliding block which is connected to the carriage through a suitable link. Adjustment of the block on the mounting member effects a change in langularlty between the cutting needle and the surface of the record; blank. The slidable block carries an adjustable member which is connected to the cutter head carriage by means of la spring, adjustment of said member; varying the depth of cut of the needle.

Because ofll) the way the cutter head carriage is pivotally mounted on the mounting member and (2) lthe way-,the adjustable member for varying the depth of cut of the stylus is carried byltheslidable block, once. the cutting needle has been set for a predetermined depth oi' cut, a change in the angularity thereof with respect to the"'record-t`vl1l net .aiect-.this depth, .neglecting minute 'frictional differences in pivots, spring anchors, etc.

' apparatus according to ouirinvention,l

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof with certain parts in section,

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the turntable driving mechanism,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on lill@ line 6-6 of Fig; 1,

assunse Figure 5 is a sectional iView taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4,

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line y of Fig. 4,

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line i-l of Fig. 5,

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line i-S of Fig. 7,

head carriage and mounting with the cutter head removed,

Figure l1 is a sectional View taken on the line ii-li of Fig. 10, and

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on the line lli-i2 of Fig. 10.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

wherein similar reference characters designate);

corresponding parts throughout, there is shown a motor board i carrying a frame member 2 provided with abushing 3 in which is journalled a turntable shaft d terminating in a tapered spindle 5 on which is mounted a turntable 6, the turntable constituting a supporting means for a record disc or Iblank R. AThe turntable is driven from a pair of motors l, each of which includes a motor shaft formed with a relatively small diameter la at its upper extremity and a relatively large diameter 7b immediately below the portion la. In each case, the motor ameter portion la of the motor shaft and the periphery of the turntable to drive the turntable at a relatively slow speed, for example, 33% R. P. M.; and when the lever il) is depressed against the action of the spring l2 to a point where the friction idler 8 is on the level of the larger diameter portion 1b of the motor shaft, and the friction wheel 8 is thenbrought into engagement with the shaft portion 1b and the turntable periphery, the turntable will be driven at a relatively higher speed, for example, '78 R. P. M. This particular driving mechanism constitutes fthe subject matter of the above mentioned Brady and Weathers patent and is therein disclosed and claimed in greater detail.

For adjustment of the levers I0 on their re-` spective posts Il, we provide a post i3 on a motorplate M which is carried by the motor board l and, Ain turn,` carries the motors 1, and we slidably and rotatably mount a sleeve I5 on the post It. The sleeve l5 is provided with a bayonet slot i6 through which a pin il on the post I3 extends, the sleeve I5 being also provided with apair of oppositely extending arms I8 which are bifurcated at their ends to receive the upper ends of the posts il and against which the springs i2 hold the upper ends of the collars I9 formed on the levers ill. With the sleeve i5 in the position shown in Fig. 3, wherein the pin l1 is in the vertical 'portion of the bayonet slot I6, the springs i2 are free to elevate the levers lil to a position wherein the friction idlers 8 are in alignment with the smaller diameter motor shaft portions la- On the other hand, by depressing' the sleeve Il on the post I3 until the horizontal portion of the bayonet slot I4 engages the pin I1, the levers Il are forced down against the action of the springs I2 to bring the idler wheels 6 in alignment with the larger diameter motor shaft portions 1b. The sleeve I5 may be locked in the latter position by slmply'turning it slightly in a clockwise direction (looking down from the top) to cause the portion Ila of thebayonet slot I6 to embrace the pin I1. A pair of coil springs 26 each fixed at one end to the motor plate I4 and at its other end to a downwardly extending lug on the respective arms 3 constantly urges each of the associated idlers into engagement with the motor shafts and the turntable.

To enable disconnecting the idler wheels 3 from their respective motor shafts and the turntable, a lever 2l is pivoted on the post I3 and has fixed at its ends a pair of upstanding pins 22 received in slotsA formed'in the ends of a pair of levers 23 and 23a, each pivotally mounted on a separate one of the posts II. The lever 23 is provided with an upstanding member 24 which is arranged to engage the associated lever III, and the lever 23a is provided with a similar upstanding member l24a which is arranged to engage its associated lever I5, the lever 23a being also provided with an operating. handle 25. By moving the handle 25 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, the lever 23a moves with it in a counterclockwise direction to bring its member 24a into engagement with the associated lever I and cause the latter to move in a counterclockwise direction about the shaft II to force the friction idler l out of engagement with the associated motor shaft and the turntable against the action of the connected spring 20. At the same time, counter-clockwise movement of the lever 23a effects clockwise movement of the lever ZI on the post I3, and this, in turn, effects counterclockwise movement of the lever 23 and the lefthand lever I6 tobring its associated friction idler 3 out of engagement with theassociated motor shaft and the turntable. Once the idlers 8 have been uncoupled from the respective motors and the turntable, the sleeve I may be adjusted on the post I3 to bring the idlers to the level of either the motor shaft portion 1a or the motor shaft portion 1b in the manner heretofore described, after which, the operating handle 25 is moved in the opposite direction from that previously indicated whereupon the reverse action from that heretofore described takes place and the springs 2l pull their respective idlers l into engagement with the motor shafts and the turntable periphery.

Fixed to the motor board I in proximity to the turntable 6 is a bracket 25 which carries a spring blade 21 having a friction lining 23 secured thereto. An arm 23 is adjustably mounted on the lever 23a and extends laterally from the lever 23a toward the spring blade 21, there being a suitable clearance between the'spring 21 and the adjacent end of the arm 23. When the lever 23a is turned in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l, to disconnect the idlers 3 from the motors 1 and the turntable 6, the right-hand end of the arm 2l vwill engage the free end of the blade 21 and press the brake lining against the turntable periphery to bring the turntable to a quick stop. This is very desirable, in many instances, since the turntable is very massive and would otherwise continue to rotate for a considerable period. y

-Fixed to the motorboard I at one side of the turntable t is a frame member or casing 3u which cooperates with a bracket 3| also secured to the motor board I to provide journal bearings for a feed screw 32,-the feed screw extending over the turntable 6 and extending through the bearings in the casing 30 and the bracket 3i. A hand wheel 33 is secured to the feed screw 32 at the end thereof which protrudes beyond the bracket 3l, and a disk 34, housed within'the casing 30, is secured to the opposite end of the feed screw 32. Pivotally mounted on a downwardly extending bracket 35 on the motor board I is a second frame member or casing 36 which rotatably carries a shaft 31, a frame 38 having a rack 39 secured thereto being slidably carried by the shaft 31 and being prevented from rotation thereon by reason of the fact that a projection 38a on the frame 33 is received in a slot 36a in the casing 36. Also slidably carried on the shaft 31v is a rubber-tired friction wheel 40 which is splined to the shaft 31 for rotation therewith, the lowerend of the hub of the friction wheel 40 being formed with an annular groove 4I which receives the' offset end 42 of an L-shaped locking plate or the like 43 secured to the frame 38.

Fixed to the lower end of the turntable shaft 4 is a pulley 44 and loosely carried on the lower end of the shaft 31 is a second pulley 45, a belt 46 connecting these two pulleys. A pin 41 extends through the hub of the pulley` and through a clutch plate 48 constituting the male clement of a suitable clutch provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced bores 49 each carrying a coil spring 5I) and a ball 5I. The associated spring of each ball 5I constantly tends to force it outwardly against a cylindrical female element 52 of lthe clutch, the latter clutch element being secured to the shaft 31 for rotation therewith. It will now be obvious, from the foregoing description, that power may be transmitted from the-motors 1 through the friction idlers 3, the turntable 6 and its shaft 4, the pulley 44, the belt 46, the pulley 45, the pin 41 and clutch 45--52 to the shaft 31 which drives the friction wheel 40. A coil spring 53 secured at one end to a screw 54 on the casing 30 and at its other end to a downwardly extending pin 55 on the casing 36 constantly tends to hold the friction wheel 40 in engagement with the disk 34. Thus, under normal conditions, the friction wheel 40 drives the disk 54, thereby imparting rotation to the feed screw 32. v

Rotatably carried by the casing member 36 is a small shaft 56 which carries a pinion 51 in constant engagement with the rack 39 (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6). The shaft 56 is also slidable on the casing 35 and is constantly urged in an outward direction by a coil spring 58. `In the extreme outward position of the shaft 56, its pinion 51 receives a pin 59 between adjacent teeth thereof to. hold the pinion against rotation. However, the shaft 53 may be pushed inwardly against the spring 56 to free the pinion 51 .from the locking pin 5l to permit rotation of the'shaft 56, and rotation of the shaft 56 and its pinion 51 will, of course, ei'i'ect movement of the rack 39 and the frame 36 together with the friction wheel 4U along the shaft 31. In this way, the friction wheel 45 may be adjusted along the vertical diameter of the friction disk 34.

For a predetermined speed of rotation of the turntable l, as determined by the position of the friction idlers l relative to the motor shaft portions 1a and 1b, it is obvious that the friction wheel 4l will rotate at a fixed speed, and the speed ci rotation which it will impart to the disk will depend upon the radius on the disk 3d at which it engages the letter. With the friction wheel d@ at its lowermost position, as shown in Figs. l and 5, the friction wheel id will drive the dis's. 3d at the slowest speed in a countercloclswise direction, as seen in Fig. 5. The nearer the friction wheel lid is adjusted toward the center of the disk along the lower vertical radius thereof, the fast/er will be the speed of the feed screw 32 in a counterclockwise direction. When the friction wheel le has been adjusted past the center of the disk. te to engage the disk 3d along the upper vertical radius thereof, it will rotate the feed screw 32 in the opposite, or clockwise, direction as seen in Fig. 5, and the speed of rotation imparted to the feed screw 32 will depend upon the point of engagement between the friction wheel @Ei and the disk ed along the latter radius. Thus, it is apparent that the feed screw et may be rotated at any desired speed within the limits determined by the diameter of the disk Se and the speed of rotation and the diameter o5.' the friction wheel di?, in either a clockwise or a countercloclrwise direction. Once the friction wheel Gd has been adiusted on the shaft d1 to the desired-peint of engagement with the disk 3d, the shaft Eid may be released, whereupon the spring 5d will force the shaft outwardly until thepinion 5l has engaged the locking pin 59, and thus the friction Wheel d@ is releasably locked in the adjusted position.

Slidably and rotatably carried by the feed screw 32 is a mounting sleeve d@ having a pair of down' wardls7 extending, parallel arms di which pivotaiiy carry a rocker 62 on the pivot bearingsd. A bracket de is pivotally mounted on the bearing elements t5 carried by the rocker e2 and has secured thereto a sound translating device 66, Such as a cutter head provided with a cutting stylus Si adapted to cooperate with a record blank R on the turntable 6 and to cut a sound groove therein.

Pivotally mounted on the mounting sleeve 6d within a. transverse slot 6d' therein of sumcient depth to expose a. few threads of the feed screw 32 is a latch lever S8 provided. with a latching toe e9 and formed with a half nut 1B (see Fig. 9) adapted to cooperate with the feed screw 32. A

' l biasing spring 1I wrapped around the pivot pin 12 of the latch lever 68 and having one end xed to the mounting sleeve 60 and its other end secured to the lever 68 constantly urges the half nut lil into engagement with the feed screw 32. Thus, upon rotation of the feed screw 32, motion is imparted to the mounting sleeve 60 and the cutter head 66 across the record R by cooperation of the half nift' 10 therewith, the rate at which the cutter head 66 is fed across the record R and the direction of feed being determined, of course, by the position of the friction wheel 40 on the disk 34. g yThe mountingA sleeve '$0 is provided with a Y recess 13 in which is slidably mounted a block 1d, itself formedwith c. recess 15, and pivotally mounted within the recess 15 on a. pin 18 is an operating handle 11. A link 1I has one end piv- Votally connected to the handle 11 eccentrically aaeose wardly, whereupon the link le is raised until the play in the slot l@ is taken up and the lower end of the slot 'it engages the pin se to thereafter rotate the bracket ed on its pivots t5 and thereby raise the cutter head et slightly from the record R. Continuedmovement of the handle 'l1 in an upward direction will cause the handle to engage the front, upper edge of the mounting member ci) and to rotate the entire assembly about the feed screw 32, bringing the latching toe de into engagement with a rod di carried by the frame member s@ and the bracket @l to cam the half nut le out of engagement with the feed screw 32. Continuedrotation of the assembly on the feed screw et wiil eventually bring the latching toe 69 past the rod el, whereupon the spring 1l will force the lever ce downwardly and the toe 59 will latch around the rod di to hold the assembly in a fully` raised position with the cutter head ce remote from the record R. When it is desired to replace the cutter Sl on the record, the latching toe de is released from the rod 8i manually and the entire assembly is rotated on the feed screw in the reverse direction until a web t2 on the mounting sleeve d@ engages a second rod e3 carried by the frame member 3d and the bracket 3l, whereupon further downward movement ofthe assembly is prevented. Thereafter, the handle l1 may be lowered to bring the cutter 61 into 4engagement. with the record.

Secured to the top of the mounting sleeve 60 is a plate @di provided with a slot in which is received the annular groove de of an adjusting screw de, the lower end of the screw 5E being threaded into the block ld. By rotating the screw @d on the plate de, the block. lll will be slid up or down, as the case may be, within the rewill also correspondingly raise or lower the link 8E which, in turn, will cause the rocker 62 to rotate on its pivot bearings 63. Since the pivot bearings 63 are xed, rotation of the rocker 62 thereon will raise or lower the pivot bearings t5, as the case may be, which will cause the bracket the cutter head 86 and the needle 61 to tilt about; the point of contact of the needle t1 with the record R as a center and, in this way, change the angular relation between the needle 61 and the surface of the record R.

Secured to theslldable. block 15 is a bracket 89 formed with an extension 90 in which is threadedly received a. screw 9|, the` screw 9| being held against rotation in any suitable way, as by forming the upper end thereof lwith a. flat surface a and extending the same through a correspondingly formed opening ln a. plate 92 secured to the upper end of the bracket 89. The

screw 9| is threaded into a thumb nut 93 which l et B4 on its pivot bearings I5 to thereby alter the depth of cut of the stylus 61 in the record. Since the bracket U8 is `carried by the slidable block 14 -and the bracket Il, the spring 94 and the cutter head bracket 64 can all move as a unit relative to the bearing members I3, it is obvious that,

once the thumb nut 93 is adjusted for a predetermined depth of cut of the stylus Il, subsequent adjustment of the screw Il to alter the angle of cutwill not alter the depth of cut. This is one great advantage which our present invention offers over the arrangement disclosed and claimed in the above identified copending application of Frank E. Runge, Serial No. 343,116, filed June 29, 1940, now Patent No. 2,262,148, granted November 11, 1941,

If the spring 94 alone were provided, the force applied by this spring would tend to produce an unbalanced load on the two pivot bearings 93, since it would tend to produce a torque on the bracket 94 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 10. To counter-balance this tendency and also to reduce the load on the bearings I9, as well as to help prevent slight oscillations of the cutter head in a direction normal tothe surface of the record R, a second spring 99 is provided which has one end fixed to the upper end of the mounting member 9`0 and its lower end secured to the bracket 94. This construction is more fully described and claimed in the copending application of John J. Hoehn, Serial No. 306,833, filed November 30, 1939, now Patent No. 2,255,- 218, granted September 9, 1941.

When it is desired to make a recording, a blank disk R is placedl on the turntable 9, the friction wheel 40 is adjusted to the desired position relative to the disk 34, and the idlers 3 are adjusted for engagement with either the motor shaft portions la or 1b and are then coupled to the selected ones of the latter and to the turntable periphery. As previously described, the friction wheel 40 may be preset relative to the disk 34 to drive the feed screw in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction for feeding the cutter 93 either inwardly along the record R from the periphery thereof, or outwardly therealong from the center` thereof. In practice, it has been found most advantageous to adjust the friction disk 40 to cause the cutter 61 to cut either `96, 112, 136 or 154 grooves per inch, regardless of Whether it is cutting an inside-out or an outside-in groove, but the pitch of the cut groove need not be limited to these values. In any case, if, at some point in the recording, it is desired to cut a few turns of a groove of greater pitch (as, for example, to form a connecting spiral between two recorded portions) the hand wheel l2 may be manipulated in the direction of rotation of the feed screw 32 at a greater rate than is permitted by the pre-set coupling between the friction wheel 40 andthe disk 34. This is possible by reason of the clutch coupling between the pulley 4l and the shaft," shown in detail in Fig. 8 and will be true regardless of the direction of rotation of the feed screw 32 at any particular time.

In some cases, it may be desired tofonn a circular groove instead of a spiral groove, as, for

the friction wheel 40 from the disk 34. Since the feed screw 32 will then stop rotating, it is obvious that rotation of the turntable 9 and the record blank R under the cutter 6l will cause example, in the case of a concentric terminal groove or a concentric dividing groove between different portions of the recording. In such case, it is necessary to temporarily disconnect the friction wheel 40 from the disk 34, and forgthis purpose, a handle 91 is pivotally mounted on the pivot pin 93 on the frame member or casing 33. By turning the handle 91 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, the inner end 91a thereof will engage the fixed frame member Il and therefore force the frame member Il away from the frame member 3l against the action of the connecting spring I3 sumciently to disengage the cutter to form a concentric groove in the blank R. The handle 91 may also be availed of when the recording operation has been coin-A pleted in order to disconnect the friction wheel 40 from the disk 34 so as to prevent flats from forming on the rubber tire of the wheel 40.

In order to insure the friction wheel 40 being disconnected from the disk 34 when the apparatus is not in use, we have provided a movable plunger 99 on the casing or frame member Il which is constantly urged away from the casing member 36 and into engagement with the twisted end l0| of a U-shaped bracket |02 pivotally mounted on the frame 30 and the bracket 3|. A projection 60a on the back of the mounting sleeve il'isarranged to engage the horizontal cross-arm i of the member |02 as the assembly constituted by the mounting sleeve and the parts carried thereby are rotated to raise the cutter head 6I from the record andto bring the latching toe i9 into engagement with the rod 8|. When the projection 60a engages the member |02, the latf ter is turned in a direction to cause its vtwisted end I0| to cam the plunger 99 toward the casing member- 36 and force it away from the casing member 30, thereby separating the friction wheel from the disk 34.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that we have provided a novel recording apparatus which embodies a number of advantageous features. In

addition to the advantages oered by the apparatus heretofore described, we preferably provide a scale bar |03 winch is rotatably carried by the frame 30 and the bracket 3| and which is polygonal in cross-section. Each face of the polygon may be marked with indicia indicating the recording time or the recording space left on the record blank at any particular rotational speed of the feed screw 32, half of the faces thereof being marked for outside-in recording and the other half being marked for insideout" recording. A suitable index or reference mark |04 carried by the mounting sleeve 60 may be provided to cooperate with the various scales on the rod |99. Preferably, also, a suitable source of illumination |05 supported'by a flexible cable |06 is provided to afford adequate illumination of the recording area on the record R, and a microscope |01 carried on a pair of adjustable brackets |03 may be employed to closely scrutinize the cut groove for depth, width, etc. An additional lamp and reflector |09 may be provided in conjunction with the microscope |01 to illuminate the cut grooves and lands in order to monitor the cutting more accurately. If desired, a suitable sound reproducing head H0 mounted on an arm which is suitably'pivoted on the motor board l may be provided to play back the recorded record immediately after recording.

Also, there may be provided a nozzle ||2 which may be attached to the mounting member 90 in close proximity to the cutting needle Il, the nome being connected through a flexible hose to suitable suction apparatus for removing -the shavings cut from the blank R by the needle 91.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that our improved recording apparatus provides a very important advantage over thoseiheretofore known, namely, squeezing or "expanding" the recorded groove at any time that it may be lov.T level or speech recording.

found necessary or desirable. Thus, for example, for a program of presumably xed timing which is to be recorded, if there is a sudden change during the rendition of the program which, for example, necessitates recording more than was originally intended, the shaft may be quickly manipulated to move the friction wheel to along the disk da to decrease the pitch of the recorded groove, whereupon, Within a limited space on the record blank R still available for recording. more subject matter may be recorded than was originally intended. Similarly, the spacing between the grooves may be expanded" by decreasing the number .oigrooves per inch where, for example, it is found necessary to record heavily modulated passages in the course of a Thus, it is apparent that, with our improved recording apparatus, it is possible to continuously vary the pitch of the recorded groove at will, or as circumstances necessitate, and this may be done while the turntable continues to rotate at its preset speed and without shutting oi the apparatus to maire the necessary adjustments.

Although we have shown and described but one embodiment of our invention, it will be spparent to those skilled in the art that many other modincations thereof, and various changes in the particular modilcation described, are possible within the spirit of our invention. We therefore desire that our invention shall not be limited except insofar es is made necessary by the prior art and bv the spirit of the appended claims. v

We claim as our invention: 1. In phonographic apmratus, the combination of means for supporting a record, a sound translating device, means movably supporting said device for movement into and out of operative relationwith a record on said supporting means, means including e. driving member and a driven member for feeding said device across the record, means for moving said device out of operative relation with the record and means responsive to said last of. means after movement of said device out of operative relation with the record for disconnecting said driving and driven members.

2. In phonographlc apatus, the combination of means for suppo a record, means for rotating sold supporting means, a. sound translating device, means movably supporting said device for movement into and out of operative relation with a record on said supporting means, means including driving driven members for feeding said device across the record, means coupling said driving member to said supporting means for delivering power from said supporting means upon rotation thereof to said driving member, means foi-.moving said device out of operative relationv with the record, and means responsive to said last named means after movement of said device out `oi' operative relation with the record for disconnecting said driving and driven members while said record supporting means continues to rotateln response to said second named means.

3. In phonographlc apparatus. thev combina--v tion of means for supporting a record, means for rotating said supporting means, a sound translating device, means movably supporting said device for movement into and out of operative relation with a record on said supporting means. means including frlctlonclly coupled driving and driven. members for feeding said device across rotation of said, supporting means, means lorv table, means including a said turntable to the driving element of said assesses the record, means coupling said driving member to said supporting means for delivering power from said supporting means upon rotation there., of to said driving member, means for moving said device out of operative relation with the record, and means responsive to said last named means after movement of said device out of opa erative relation with the record for breaking the friction coupling between said driving-and driven members while said record supporting means continues to rotate in response to said second named means.

d. In phonographic apparatus, the combination of means for supporting a record, means for ro1 tating said supporting means, a sound translating device, means movablgr supporting said device for movement into and out of operative relation with s. record on said supporting means, means including a variable speed transmission for feeding seid device across the record, means coupling one element of said transmission to said supporting means for delivering power from said supporting means to said transmission upon moving said device out 'of operative relation with the record, and means responsive to said last named moms citer movement of said device out of operative relation with the record for rendering said transmission temporarily inoperative while said record supporting means continues to` rotate in response to said second named means. p

5. The invention set forth in claim d charamerized by the addition of manually actuable means operable at win for rendering said sa inoperative independently of said movement responsive means.

6. In phonosraphic apparatus, the combvtion of a turntable, means for rotating saidturntable, a feed screw exten over said turntable, a sound translating device carried by said feed screw for both longitudinal and rotational movement thereon relative to `a record on said turnpair of friction elements constituting-a variable speed transmission for rotating said feed screw to move said device therealons and across the record, means coupling transmission for delivering power thereto from said turntable, means for moving said device out of operative relation with the record, and means responsive to said last named means after removal of said device from. the record for disconnecting sald elements and rendering them temporarily inoperative to rotate said feed screw while said turntable continues to rotate in response to said first named means. n

'1. In phonographic apparat the combination of means for supporting a record for rotation, a feed screw extending thereover, a carringe mounted on said feed screw vfor both 1ongitudlnal and rotational movement thereon relative to the record, a friction transmissloncoupled to said feed screw for delivering power thereto, a flxed frame member and a relatively 4movable frame member, the driving element of said transmission being carried by said movable frame member and the driven element thereof being carried by said fixed frame member, means for moving said movable frame member away from said fixed. frame member wherebyl to disconnect said elements, and means responsive to rotation of said carriage on said feed screw for actuating said last named means. y 8. The invention set forth ln claim 'l characterized in that the means for moving said movable frame member comprises a pin carried by said fixed frame member and arranged to engage said movable frame member, and characterized further in that said actuating means includes a cam for actuating said pin in a direction to force said movable frame member away from said fixed frame member.

9. The invention set forth in claim 7 charactei-ized in that the means for moving said movable frame member comprises a pin carried by said fixed frame member and arranged to engage said movable frame member, characterized further in that said actuating means comprises a pivoted member having a cam thereon for actuating said pin in a direction to force said movable frame member away from said fixed frame member, and characterized still further in that said carriage is provided with means for engaging said pivoted member upon rotation of said carriage on said feed screw to cause said cam to actuate said pin.

10. In phonographic apparatus, the combination of means for supporting a record for rotation, a sound translating device operatively associated therewith, and means including a variable speed transmission for feeding said device across a record at any preselected one of a piurality of different speeds, said transmission comprising a pair of friction discs angularly related to each other and with the periphery of one engaging a face of the other of said discs. said discs being mounted for relative movement with respect to each other along a diameter on said face, the adjustment of said discs along the radius to one side of the center of said face effecting the feeding of said device at a variable speed and in one direction across said supporting means, and the adjustment of said discs along the radius on the other side of said face center effecting the feeding of said device at a variable speed across said supporting means in the opposite direction.

11. The invention set forth in claim 10 characterized by the addition of means for reieasably locking said discs to each other in any predetermined position to which said discs may be adjusted.

12. The invention set forth in claim 10 characterized by the addition of means constantly urging said discs into engagement with each other, and characterized further by the addition of means for disconnecting said discs from each other in opposition to said rst named means.

13. In phonographic apparatus, the combination of a turntable, means for rotating said turntable, a feed screw extending over said turntable, a sound translating device carried by said feed screw for both longitudinal and rotational movement thereon relative to a record on said turntable, means including a pair of friction elements constituting a variable speed transmission arranged to variably rotate said feed screw in either one of two opposite directions whereby to correspondingly variably feed said device across said record in either one of two opposite directions at will, means coupling said turntable to the driving element of said transmission for deiivering power thereto from said turntable, and means responsive to rotation of said device on said feed screw away from said record for disconnecting said elements and rendering them temporarily inoperative to rotate said feed screw f' while said turntable continues to rotate in response to said first named means.

JOHN J. HOEHN. ARTHUR G. ZIMMERMAN. 

